If you break into a sweat when you think about the state of your sewing space…

You might need a spring cleaning.

If towers of fabric teeter as you dig for just the right color and print…

You might need a spring cleaning.

If you’ve ever sighed as you stood knee-deep in fabric…

You might need a spring cleaning!

So, what’s the best way to organize a fabric stash that’s starting to spiral out of control?

Stash Lab author Tonya Alexander loves making scrappy, stashy quilts—and part of the reason is because she knows where her fabrics are and can scan them at a glance, instead of spending her time digging for treasures. Today we’re sharing some of her tips for prepping your stash and scraps so that they’re easy to manage, easy to skim, and easy to pop into a quilt, just like that. Read on for the three categories that Tonya uses to streamline her stash—spring’s the perfect time to whip your stash into shape!

SORTING AND STORING FABRIC SCRAPS

By creating scrap categories for sorting your fabric, you can begin to see the options that are open to you. What are the fabric cuts and sizes sitting on your shelf? One-yard pieces? Fat quarters? Precut charm squares or Jelly Rolls? Consider the sizes and shapes in your inventory to help you decide what to do with them.

I sort and store my scraps in shape and size groupings, in addition to color families. Here’s my storage strategy.

FAT QUARTERS AND LARGER PIECES stay on the stash shelves grouped by color or style. Batiks, splashy Kaffe Fassett prints, flannels, etc., each get their own pile.

STRIPS OF VARIOUS WIDTHS (1½", 2½", and 3½") and squarish pieces that are less than a fat quarter each go in separate bins.

EVERYTHING ELSE THAT’S TOO SMALL—these random scraps go in a basket so they don’t get mixed in with larger pieces of fabric or those of specific sizes, such as strips.

A strategy that doesn’t require a master’s degree in organizational skills, but keeps your fabric neat and tidy and ready for action. Hooray for simple solutions!

What’s the best thing about organizing your stash? Once you stash-storing plan is in place, new fabrics always have a place to live when you bring them home—plus it’s a snap to DE-stash. In Stash Lab, Tonya’s designed quilts for specific cuts of fabric, but even more useful are the three creative “equations” she’s created for you follow (don’t be alarmed by the word: trust us, there’s zero algebra or rocket science involved).

If you have a lot of 1½"-wide strips, a project like Carpool is a great option.

Carpool quilt

A favorite Jelly Roll would work well in Sparklers.

Sparklers quilt

If you have mostly fat quarters, a design like The Big Spin can put your stash and scrap fabrics to use in a beautiful way.

I store mine exactly like Tonya, except my smallest scraps go in stackable plastic see-through drawers under my cutting table. Every major color has its own drawer in irainbow order with additional drawers for reproductions and authentic vintage. Therefore if I want to make a predominately blue scrap quilt, that drawer gets tossed for selection. This system makes for easy use in Deposits, withdrawals, and space conservation.

Deposits and withdrawals – love it, Marianne! 🙂 –Jenny

0

—Marianne on February 20, 2017

My fabric stash is sorted by color and type of fabric. It is all in drawers starts with Batiks then black then brown etc.All holidays have their own drawers Asian fabrics have their own space, I like to be able to find which fabric i am looking for at a moments notice. My friends give me a hard time but i keep my craft room neat and i can find what i need without hunting and wasting quilting time.

0

—Sharon Meyer on February 20, 2017

I store by color but now I’m wondering if I should also store by size.

0

—Joanne O'Neal on February 20, 2017

I’ve tried many methods of stash organization. I am a fan of simple is best. I store my by size and then by "color". But by color I only have 2 categories. Category 1 is all neutrals and Category 2 is everything else. This seems to work the best for me.

0

—Paula on February 20, 2017

Basically I store my fabric by color, but also by project. All my stripes, frogs, fairies, candy, bugs, Mardi Gras are together so that when I get ready to make that quilt I just grab that stack. Large pieces are in tubs. In my last cleaning I was surprised by the number of "larger" pieces so with my last several quilts I pieced several together to make backs. It is fun to see those large pieces of pretty fabric together.

0

—Janet on February 20, 2017

Fat quarters and half yards are sorted by color in bins. Yardage is stored together in a big box, so I can see my options. Tiny scraps are in small boxes by lights and darks or stored with their mother fabric. Everything else is sorted by project. One whole drawer for frogs, for chickens,and for cats. Halloween and Christmas each take up more than that!

0

—Linda Towers on February 20, 2017

I have a tall cabinet for fabric, sorted by color, type (flannel, batik, Christmas, kid. I thinking of putting Kaffe in a separate pile. and books are on the bottom. Precuts are in separate container and scraps are in their on bin. I’ve started cutting scraps into similar sizes but just started.

0

—Sue on February 20, 2017

After YEARS of not being able to find fabric, I have found a sorting method that works for me. BTW, I have NO scraps. Everything 1/8th + I consider fabric and it goes into the stash. The rest, including orphan blocks, is incorporated into the quilt back, made into mug rugs or potholders or a block for an always on-going baby quilt.

My stash sorting has evolved to a ix of theme and color and purpose. All background and blender fabric is sorted by color. All focal/novelty fabric is sorted by theme. I have cat fabrics, peacock fabrics, oriental fabrics, Western/native American/cowboy, landscape, batiks, patriotic, etc.

As for pre-cuts, I usually buy those with a specific project in mind. They go into the "purpose" category. Usually I bag them w/a p/out of the quilt or bag or wearable piece (not the entire pattern, just the finished piece) I intend to make. I will sometimes include additional fabrics and notions I intend to use. Any precuts w/out a designated purpose are stored together, simply because I have different pre-cuts from the same line and I want to make sure I know that when I am putting a project together.

Display is my biggest challenge. Most of my fabric is packed away while my dining room (the never used room in the house) is being converted into my personal, in-house quilt shop. All the plaster walls are coming down (sadly, they cannot be saved) and built-in shelves are going in sized for bolts and fabric wrapped on comic book inserts. I have 10′ ceilings so hope I can unpack and shelve everything when it’s finished!!

Sounds like a great system you’ve created, Marlene – thanks for sharing! –Jenny

0

—Marlene Clausen on February 20, 2017

"Large" odd pieces (less than fq) and strips, sorted by color, in zip bags and bins. Foldable yardage by color in large tubs. Two closets full of fabric here in my house! I always make scrappy quilts 🙂

I have a brand new sewing room and am in the middle of sorting and putting away, my fat quarters are sorted by color on open shelves and any thing larger is in an antique canning cupboard for all to see, also sorted by color. Anything smaller than a fat quarter is put in a special basket.
All is anxiously waiting for my next project.

0

—Holly on February 20, 2017

By size, kinda.

0

—Judy B on February 20, 2017

Display is different than organized. I see the fabric in various shapes, sizes. Organized is not so good. I am slowly cutting strips, squares by size. I have baskets that are labeled. I have bins for specific projects to be. I have confess I have a floor mess on one side that is overwhelming me.

0

—carol on February 20, 2017

I sort by color and size. That makes the most sense to me since I know from the pattern what size I need and I can pull colors that work together for the project easily if I can pull out all the yellows (for example) to find just the right one. I do store my solids and my reproduction fabrics separately, but once they are scrap size, they get tossed in the scrap bins (by color) so that I can have all the fun fabrics in my scrap projects!

0

—Summer on February 20, 2017

I sort by color, up to a yard. Larger pieces are separate from stash fabrics. When they are leftovers of strips or triangles that can’t be used in the project I put them in a large shopping bag and save to give to my friend Susie, she loves small pieces and makes gorgeous intricate scrap quilts from them.

0

—Linda on February 20, 2017

Right now all my scraps have been cut into sizes from 1-1/2″ to 5 inch squares, and 1-1/2″ to 3-1/2″ strips. All the fabrics have been sorted: fat quarters, quarter yards and up to 3 yard pieces, then larger yardage for backings. I have a rack of bins with the cut strips and squares. Then I have six (6) three drawer wide storage drawers stacked two high that house the fabrics less than 3 yards and then an antique cabinet that stores my larger pieces for backings. This has really helped me overall to figure out just how to start using up the stash. I have begun by finding quilt patterns that use specific size pieces and pull from each bin or drawer as needed. So on my to do list for this year is AT LEAST 6 large scrappy quilts. And I am always looking for more ideas to use the stash up!

0

—Sue F on February 20, 2017

I try to be tidy and organized – small scraps/pieces go in separated ziplock bags by colors in a bin just for that size. Fat Qtrs and 1 yard or smaller are folded and in separate bins with related colors filed within their own space of the bin. I need to do something exciting to use up more of these bin contents as they are growing!!!!

0

—Betty P on February 20, 2017

I started putting colors together in see through plastic boxes. Then, I bought big colorful boxes for my batiks, little flowers/roses prints, big plastic drawer for my big cuts–slowly I am using stash pieces–only 10 more squares to go in my 1930 Farmers Wife Sampler–then I will have to reorganize where to put all the material I brought out from all my stashes. Whew–lot of work, but still fun, though!

What fun to read all the great storage ideas. Deposits and withdrawals! I sort by fabric style, type, color, and so forth. My best tip is making large bin labels (light green, medium green, dark green, etc). My bins are stored on ceiling to floor shelves my husband put up for me along one wall. I am blessed with two closets in my sewing room so we removed the doors and I’ve hung some shoe storage thingies for small collections and sets such as fairy frosts and sewing themed fabrics and fruits/vegetables, and so forth. Hi, Tonya!

0

—Barbara Dahl on February 20, 2017

I sort by color for my quilt tops and scraps, but keep batiks, flannels, and backs each in their own see through containers.

0

—Sandy May on February 20, 2017

My first organization system was by color. I still have those bins but have added others for specific categories like Christmas, Other Holidays, Batiks, Thirties repro, Civil War repro, and Novelty prints. I also have been adding bins for precuts, now that I collect those. Little scraps, less than about 6″x 6″, go into another bin so I can finish a cotton crazy quilt (not Victorian but rather the type that I grew up with in Maine)- SOMEday!

0

—Dottie Macomber on February 20, 2017

I am blessed with a 20’x20′ separate building with a 8’x15′ windowless fabric storage room with storage shelves. In this room I store all fabrics over 1/4 yd on plastic storage units with fabric folded to fit into plastic bins that sit on their side so I can see what is there.. Also have IKEA wire bin units (for anything under 1/4 yd, which I TRY to keep neat. I also have 6 big Labeled totes that hold misc. pieces of batting, felt/fleece. All this is in the storage room and off that is the best thing…a BATHROOM! I spent 4 years running this old body back to the house.lol I’m in the process of cutting 1 1/2″ strips, 2 1/2″ strips, 3 strips and 3 1/2 sq, 5 1/2″ sq, 6 1/2″ sq and 8 1/2″ sq’s.

0

—Patt Swain on February 20, 2017

I sort my fabric scraps of different sizes in shoe box size plastic bins for strips and squares and leftover bindings that never use. I keep the leftover fabric stash in plastic zippered bags that sheets come in. I need to organize them better when I have the time.

0

—beth daniels on February 20, 2017

I do have a box with much stash fabric, but I also like to keep my collections together.

0

—Barbara on February 20, 2017

I sort by variations of color, unless I’ve purchased something for a particular project.

0

—Jane on February 20, 2017

I inherited a large tub of fabric from my mother when she moved to an apartment. That was 4 years ago. I just sorted it last week. There were 150+ fat quarters alone, many batiks. I sorted them into 2 fat quarter storage bags, batiks by color in one, everything else by color in the other. I also had a small fabric collection. I measured all the bolts of fabric, labeled them and stored them all in one tote. Everything 1/2 yd and up,went in there. I also had a lot of pieces that were 36″ wide and a yard or more long. These went together. I then separated large scraps into a bag and small scraps into another. I had a lot of pieces that had been cut so these went in a bag together. For now, I used those zipper bags that sheets and comforters come in. I have only gotten back into quilting in the last 2 years so this may change. I feel so much better with everything organized so I know what I have. I found material I could have used instead of buying more fabric.

0

—Judy M on February 20, 2017

I store by color and then have a couple of bins for kits or special novelty fabrics. Would love ideas to use my ever increasing stash!

0

—Patty on February 20, 2017

Most of my yardage is in a china cabinet. It had gone it there willy-nilly when we moved into our house. 18 months ago. I was finally able to pull it all out, iron a lot of it, and wrap it around cardboard. I can now find things and won’t be buying any more duplicates.

0

—Billie on February 20, 2017

by color… anything under a yard….

0

—Tonie Peterson on February 20, 2017

I sort by color. Fabric on three 6 feet tall by forty wide shelves. Flannels on other side of room on shelves. I can see all my fabric, makes it easy to select for my projects. Have 2 windows, each 42 inches wide so lots of light. Fun time in my STUDIO.

0

—Dottie Bannon on February 20, 2017

I sort by several different methods: fat quarters are arranged by color in wire sliding shelving units; larger cuts are also arranged by color in the same type of unit. I have plastic drawer units for odd shaped cuts (arranged by color), and bins with different widths of strips grouped together, roughly arranged by color.

0

—Janet on February 20, 2017

I keep fabrics in ziplock bags by project with the pattern included. Fabrics purchased just because I love them are stored by color & size. Leftovers from projects are stored in bins by type (I.e. Civil War) in color order.

0

—Connie on February 20, 2017

Quilting cottons (fat quarter and up) are nicely ironed and stored in clear plastic storage drawers underneath my sewing counters. Precuts are in smaller drawers. Heavy weight decorator fabrics are in big tubs. Flannels and wools are on shelves in an antique wardrobe. Binding scraps and strips are in baskets, and any other scraps are EVERYWHERE. I currently have a bunch of them sorted by color in large Ziploc bags, while unsorted ones are in cardboard boxes, and the rest are littering every available counter space. I’m working on a string quilt to reduce their numbers and also want to make a bunch of scrappy half-square triangles with all the little odd shaped bits, but they seem to multiply faster than I can get them under control!

I have all my stash colour co-ordinated Small pieces in Q-Tip boxes(used drawer like boxes). larger scraps in small storage drawers. larger pieces in a dresser drawer and biggest yardae Etc in bins

0

—elizajane on February 20, 2017

I store my stash by size — fat quarters in drawers, but on end, not stacked flat, so I can see them all. "Bigger than a fat quarter, smaller than a yard" in another drawer, also on edge. "Bigger than one yard" in another drawer. Smaller pieces are sorted into one drawer for 10″ squares, one drawer for 5″ squares & 2.5″ squares, one drawer for strips of various widths & a basket (in the drawer) of "leftovers/scraps" waiting to be sorted, and then one drawer that has containers of pieces cut with various dies for quick quilts.

This system works well for me because I don’t have huge amounts yet, and because it keeps a space for "just toss it in" when I’m cutting, have leftovers, etc. so the sorting doesn’t have to happen immediately.

0

—Heather V on February 21, 2017

Stash, stash, stash – it’s growing! My fat quarters have a cabinet all their own; strips & squares of same size, ie 2.5″ are in bins by size; all larger pieces are either stored by color or type – such as all my mouse fabric is in separate bins as are Asians, kids’ fabrics, panels, etc. Every now & then I sort the new leftovers that get tossed in a box until it’s full.

0

—Joy on February 21, 2017

Currently mostly by color, although I do have a couple of odd bins of old stash that I’m slowly going through! I’ve separated out the flannels and Christmas, and I have some planned projects in separate bins (Pink Ribbon, one each for daughters and the vintage blocks to fill out my grandmother’s squares from the 40’s and 50’s). I’ve been cleaning and organizing, want to strip the odd pieces into sizes and colors ala Bonnie Hunter, and another book, Strip Your Stash, and I’ve established a basket with odd pieces that will become a pineapple paper pieced, or I do love the Carwash quilt in your blog! good idea for those odd pieces, or a Wonky Log Cabin… Looking at our postings, man there’s a lot of fabric out there! I think my daughter may be inheriting in 20 years or so, poor girl!

0

—Sharon Schipper on February 21, 2017

In my main stash, I have all the larger pieces together, folded nicely (prewashed and pressed). Then, whenever I’m doing cutting, I always try to cut a few specific sizes for the storage boxes I have (but only if I KNOW I’ll have enough for what I’m cutting to begin with.)

I have a box of 2.5″ – both strips and pieces go in here. I have a box of 2.5″ x 4.5″ pieces. Then I’ve got a box of 1.5″ and 3″, as well as a box of 4″ and 5″. I also have all my leftover bias pieces together in another box. At the end of a cutting session, if there is only a little bit leftover, I will cut that into pieces for the boxes too, instead of putting it into the scraps. Only scraps that are smaller than 2.5″ square go in here.

In my scraps stash I have a few Tupperware with little pieces separated by colour. I did a raggedy-ticker tape parade type quilt for a friend a few years ago, and these pieces have never been released back into the wild. I’m thinking I’ll increase the size of these containers, and add to them and clear up my scrap stash. Then I can create a few "confetti" type quilts with the little bits. That, or use them in my paper piecing quilts with a little more ease.

0

—Susan B. on February 21, 2017

Do you know the difference between a quilter’s stash and a dressmaker’s stash? The size of the pieces! Plus I make blankets and accessories out of polar fleece, so I have pieces that take up a lot of space.

My fabrics are sorted by kind first; polar fleece, challis, knits and cottons. My small pieces of cotton are sorted by theme; polka dots, butterflies, florals, dogs, etc. if the piece is too small for me to use, I give it to my daughter-in-law. She likes scrappy! My quilters’ cottons fit in one dresser. Garment fabric is sorted by type in totes that fit under my tables. It’s not completely sorted. I hope my daughter-in-law can come up and visit and help me sort. She’ll be paid in stash!

0

—Sheri on February 21, 2017

I store my stash by color. Fat quarters and larger go in the closet. Then I have bins for smaller pieces that also get stored by color. I have a drawer for all my leftover binding pieces, no matter what color they all go in the drawer. I also have a pretty box that I keep all my selvedge strips in. I never put my fabric in plastic, as I have been told it’s not good to keep the 100 percent cotton in plastic.
When I feel like I need a no-brainer, I go to my quilt room and cut 2″ squares from my scrap bins. I use those 2″ squares to make eyeglass cases.
So much fun!

0

—Mary Ann Thompson on February 22, 2017

I store my stash by color and then by type (flannel, cotton, fleece) — larger pieces in drawers and smaller scraps in bins, all by color. My FQs, charm packs, layer cakes and jelly rolls all have their own place as well. Now I just need time to use them!

0

—Krafty KC on February 22, 2017

Everything is sorted by color EXCEPT batiks (very small amount) and civil war repro fabrics. They are stacked on individual shelves, all folded neatly. The civil war fabrics are in a chest by themselves and sorted by collections or color.

0

—Renee Welton on February 24, 2017

I use clear plastic totes with lids. One for each color of the rainbow, one for black and white. Then one each for Christmas, Kids, Batik, Panels, and Pre-Cuts. And one for the fabrics that make me drool (being saved for extra special projects for myself). All clearly labelled. All stored on wood shelves up off the floor. I have very little space, so have to keep organized.

0

—Jennifer on February 24, 2017

I sort by color but have them all cut to useable sizes.

0

—Renea Yarolim on February 24, 2017

I store by color and projects

0

—Linda Christianson on February 24, 2017

My stash is separated by color, with a shoe box for binding strips and another for other scraps. I used to save crumbs, but finally tossed them out. Fabrics us all in various kinds of bins, but I worry about fading from the morning sun. I’m lucky enough to have an extra bedroom for my sewing room–but there still is never enough room!
I’d like suggestions for avoiding sun fade.

0

—Barb Davison on February 24, 2017

I’m currently taking my scraps and cutting them into 2.5″, 3.5″, 4.5″, and 5″ squares. If it is a decent size scrap and long, 2.5″ strips. Anything narrower goes in a bin I pull from when making rope bowls, my go to project when I’m feeling overwhelmed! Fat quarters are separated by theme and/or color. Anything larger is by color. I like to pin a note on larger pieces stating the size so I don’t get all excited about using a piece and find I don’t have enough. The note lets me down a bit better than pulling it out and coordinating it with other fabric just to find there is not enough :(.